Students are the identity of a teacher, says Narendra Modi on eve of Teachers' Day

New Delhi: On the eve of Teachers Day on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a candid interaction with students across the country during which he gave tips on how to ignite their minds, improve oratory and advised parents not to impose choices on children. During his interaction, Modi also said that he aims to ensure 24x7 power supply across India by 2022. 

The Prime Minister also underscored the need for having good people in politics to take the country to greater heights.

Addressing students and later replying to their questions via video conferencing in the second such initiative, Modi said he has issued direction to replace 'Character certificates' with Aptitude certificates which will reflect the personality of the students when they leave schools.

A relaxed Modi responded to a range of questions including his school days and dress sense during his 105-minute interaction with 800 students and 60 teachers from schools in Delhi who participated in the event at the Manekshaw auditorium here. Students from nine other states joined the programme through video conference.

The Prime Minister spoke highly about the role of teachers in nation-building and said he interacts with students on the occasion of Teachers' Day as students are their identity. "Mother gives birth to a child, (guru) teacher gives life (jeevan). There will hardly be anyone in the world who will not admit the role of their mother and teacher in their life," Modi said.

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The Prime Minister said there must have been great teachers behind every successful doctor, engineer and scientist and exhorted the parents to not force choices on their children.

"Sometimes people wonder why spend time with students on Teachers' Day. It is because students are teachers' identity," he said. There was criticism last year that the Prime Minister had ignored the teachers when he interacted with students on Teachers' Day last year.

The Prime Minister also launched two commemorative coins -- one of Rs 125 denomination and another of Rs 10 on the occasion. "A teacher can never retire. Being a teacher is not like any other occupation," he said.

Modi also said that education should not create "robots" as he emphasised the importance of art and culture in students life. When a student from Goa asked him about his favourite sport, Modi in a lighter vein responded, "We all know the games politicians play." He than narrated, how he used to climb trees and learnt swimming.

On politics, he said "Unfortunately politics has acquired a lot of bad name. Talented people from all walks of life are required in politics.".

Elaborating on his direction to issue Aptitude certificates, Modi said, "Everybody gets a character certificate from school. I have issued direction to replace character certificate with aptitude certificate," he said.

Listing various initiatives of his government, Modi said "My aim is to ensure 24X7 power supply across the country by 2022." He said 18,000 villages where there is no power will be electrified in the next 1,000 days.

Seeking to give a new dimension to teaching, Modi asked doctors, engineers and civil servants and others who have excelled in their fields to devote one hour every week or hundred hours every year to teaching children. "This would give new strength to teaching in the country," he said.

In a lighter vein, he then remarked that politicians would not be the best persons for such a thing. He said that a good teacher may come from anywhere. He cited an instance of an Anganwadi teacher who taught her students about the use of handkerchief to stay clean. The students posed a range of questions to the Prime Minister from his choice of clothes, to his inspirations in life, waste management and how to inculcate leadership qualities.

The Prime Minister said he doesn't have a fashion designer. "I only dress sober and simple," he said.

On a question on leadership, Modi said that politics has got much maligned but there is need for good, intelligent people to step in this field. He added that the Independence movement under Gandhiji gained strength because people from all walks joined it.

The Prime Minister also told children that they should not get deterred by failure in the pursuit of their goals. There would be hardly any person who has not faced failure, he said while suggesting to them to read Eleanor H Porter's Pollyanna to inculcate a positive outlook in life.

When a student asked him about how he managed mastery in oratory, Modi offered tips on how to become a good speaker. "To be a good orator, you need to be a good listener...Don't worry about what people will say. Don't be nervous. You should be confident."

The Prime Minister said a habit of keeping notes would also help in a big way. He urged the students to listen to speeches of renowned orators on YouTube.

"You are Google guru vidyarthi (students) after all. If you see other speeches online, you will gain confidence," he said.

Earlier, HRD Minister Smriti Irani welcomed the Prime Minister and the students. 

The Prime Minister answered questions posed to him by young achievers from select schools across the country.

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• If with a receptive mind we meet people, everyone influences and teaches us something. I was always a curious child: Modi.
• Leadership quality is essential. You must also be clear why you want to be a leader: to fight elections only or to make a difference.

Sarthak Bhardwaj from Uttarakhand asks PM - Digital India is a great effort but many places in India do not have electricity.

• You are right, there are villages with no electricity. In next 1000 days we have taken up the effort to give power to 18,000 villages. My aim is to ensure 24X7 power supply across the country by 2022. 

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• Everybody knows what politicians play. When I was a boy, I had not heard of fancy sports. Kabaddi and kho kho only. I learnt swimming because I had to wash my own clothes and had to go to the lake. Whenever a woman shines on the sports field, the mother of the child has a very important contribution.

Another student asked: I want to be a great leader and contribute to politics. What should I do to become one?

• Good people and people from all walks of life are required in politics. Do you recall how people from all walks of life joined Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle? It benefitted the nation. Leadership quality is essential. You must also be clear why you want to be a leader: to fight elections only or to make a difference.

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• If school students are achieving so much, making Apps on Swachh Bharat & winning laurels then am sure India can be Swachh.

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• Can serve the nation not only by joining the armed forces or being in politics. Several ways to contribute to nation building.

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• I don't think India lacks good teachers

S K Visalini, a B.Tech student from Tamil Nadu asks, How can I help the country?

• We can do that with very small and simple things. If a child saves even Rs 10 worth of electricity, that's a great help. Sometimes we waste food...if we don't do that, that's a great help. If we ensure that we don't don't waste natural resources, that's a huge help. If you teach your maid for half an hour and educate her, that's a huge help.

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• Classroom gives a sense of mission and a sense of priority

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• To speak well you need to be a good listener. And this will increase your confidence level

Your fashion sense is talked about a lot, how did the idea of promoting Indian clothes come to you?

• I don't know why people think I have a fashion designer who styles me. I only dress simple and sober

Nearly 800 students and 60 teachers from various schools in New Delhi will interact with the Prime Minister.

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